HOURS OF OPERATION

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Top 4 Ways to Sneak Fitness in on Game Day

The countdown to the Big Game has begun. You’ve got everything ready to go for your family and friends. TV warmed up and showing the pregame coverage – check. Impressive array of dips, chips, appetizers, and a multitude of beverages – check. Comfy sofa primed for the four-hour marathon of football excellence – check. As you run through your must-have checklist, you realize that there is actually very little about this big Sunday that supports the healthy habits you’re working so hard to develop and maintain. Hours of sitting, eating, and drinking? It doesn’t sound half bad, unless you are striving for a lifestyle of moving more and eating less and/or smarter. You can almost see your sweaty workout sessions and careful meal planning going down the drain as you face bowls of chips and cheese dip and platters of wings and brownies. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case. It’s actually possible to support your healthy endeavors while enjoying the Big Game. Heck, you may even enjoy yourself more.

Get your workout in early. This is smart fitness planning in many situations. If you know that you’ve got a big meal out or dinner party coming up later, go ahead and work out – either with your trainer or on your own – early in the day. It will give you energy for the event ahead, and help keep your health priorities in check as you face those tempting snacks and treats.

Hustle your Halftime. Take advantage of the lengthy commentary and replays of field goals and fumbles to step away from the game, and step outside for a brisk walk or jog. A little aerobic heart pumping might be just what you need to increase your energy and keep your priorities in check. Plus, if you’re actually hankering to watch today’s pop stars strut their Halftime stuff, there’s always the DVR.

Make a game out of the game. Every time there’s a first down, knock out 15 jumping jacks. A punt earns 10 pushups. A touchdown score? That calls for a few burpees. Sure, it’s similar to games of a different nature you might have played in college, but this one will leave you feeling energized and healthy, with a nice healthy buzz.

Makeover your munchies. We all love how delicious appetizers and the biggest football game of the year go hand-in-hand. Entire parties are built on this very concept. However, you don’t need to kiss your fitness goodbye as you watch the game. Brilliant ideas abound online for healthy snack makeovers, but a few tried and true favorites of ours include: subbing celery for tortilla chips for dipping into salsas and yogurt dips; making veggie chips out of baking thinly sliced zucchini, turnips, or beets coated with a little olive oil and salt; building your bean and veggie nachos on a pile of homemade sweet potato fries.

Now granted, one afternoon of indulgence isn’t going to make or break your healthy endeavors. A few dressing-soaked hot wings or football-shaped cupcakes in one day won’t ruin your waistline. However, this Sunday is just one day in a sea of “special” events, parties, and holidays. Making a practice of staying victorious over your junk food temptations on a regular basis will be just one more healthy habit you’ve got under your belt. So even if your team doesn’t win, you will.